What nymphs do you think are best right now for fast water and slow pools?

I'm going to Clarks tomorrow and there are many slow pools with many pressured trout, I have used soft hackes with some success when they are not rising but am interested in techniques and nymphs for fishing these slow pools.

In the fast water I have been using Loren's stud nymph which has proved quite deadly , what nymphs are doing well for you right now?

Posted on: 2010/4/9 12:58

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

I think both posts are correct. You asked about "fast and slow". Go small and light in the slow, big and heavy in the fast.

I can't imagine czech nymphing in frog water. I don't really fish frog water at all, actually, but if I did, I'd do what Mute suggested.

JC's post illustrates an excellent tactic in faster water.

Note that the types of presentation are the key, not the patterns. The answer to the age old "what flies" question is a combination of heavy, medium, or light weight and dark, neutral, or light color. What patterns you use to fit that paradigm is largely inconsequential. Matching hatches is a different story, but then the question should be "what's hatching" instead. The types of bugs can be studied (at the stream, in books, or online) to determine what types of water to fish. A reasonable match should suffice. Check troutnut.com for photos of the bugs.

That's how I see it, anyway.

Posted on: 2010/4/9 22:22

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

Ive lately understood and gave focused on the correct presentation but cant seem to advance past, a dead drift, a dead drift with occasional twitches every few seconds, and dead drift, plus swimming the nymphs towards the surface(wile fishing above a hole).

If it's working when you need it to, I'd say you have it figured out just fine.

There may be other ways to catch 'em, but if you're satisfied with the method you've found, why bother?

IMO, you've got the presentation figured out for the situations you fish. You've arrived at the same conclusions I did when I fished similar streams more often. I couldn't find a better way to catch the pressured stockers than what you're doing.

Honestly, the best way to learn new presentations is to keep fishing different streams. Give valley another few shots this spring, and it'll teach you things about presentation. It taught me the hard way the last time I was there... but it happens. There is better water upstream of where you fished it, near the turnpike bridge.

Posted on: 2010/4/9 22:39

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

Thanks Jay, there are some big fish in those slow pools at Clarks but they are so selective...I've tried micro nymphs under an indicator but they still reject them, the most success I've had is with tiny soft hackles but its still very hard going.

Posted on: 2010/4/9 23:52

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

atlantisboy911 wrote:Thanks Jay, there are some big fish in those slow pools at Clarks but they are so selective...I've tried micro nymphs under an indicator but they still reject them, the most success I've had is with tiny soft hackles but its still very hard going.

Atlantis,

Clarks is mostly shallow with slow or moderate current. It is a perfect stream for a dry / dropper rig. Try a hatch matching (BWO?, Hendrickson? some sort of Caddis?) dry with small nymph dropper (HE? PT? Caddis larva / pupa, midge pupa?). I tie some dry flies with a bright post or overwing to use for this purpose (better visibility as an indy).

Later in the season, a dry terrestrial fly works well (Beetle, Ant, Inch Worm, & WMD- of course) with or without a small nymph or pupa dropper.

Be stealthy, wade carefully, stand still more than you walk (or even kneel down), don't cast your line or leader butt over the fish, get a good drift using a dry / dropper rig ....and they will come.

Also sight fishing (fishing to visible fish) can be loads of fun at Clarks.

Good luck. Let us know how you do.

Posted on: 2010/4/10 8:05

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

If you are fishing Clarks and come to one of those big, flat, slow sections and can see your fish.... here's an idea.

Try a small tandem nymph rig with a tiny weight (Pheasant tail, copper john, brassie, caddis larva or even an ant in size 16-20). The bottom in those big flats is very sandy and you don't have to worry about losing flies in the rocks. Even if the rig gets stuck for a second, I've had them swim over and pick them up off of the bottom. It's fun and nerve racking at the same time. :)

Posted on: 2010/4/21 15:43

Re: What nymphs are you using at this time of year for fast water & slow pools

what nymph or what dry or emerger a person is going to use at a given time is totally preference , can a person go out anytime and fish for 6hrs and catch a few trout on a PT nymph ....u bet , can u fish 6hrs with a hares ear and catch a few fish ...u bet , but to catch alot of fish you have to feed them the same thing god is feeding them , they key in on whatever food source is the most abundant and easiest to get , when fishing grannoms , people can't figure out why fish don't key in on floating duns or emergers poping out of the film , they are taking em off the bottom , especially in the evening when the females swim back to ther bottom to lay eggs , why swim to the top when there is a tasty meal infront you ? so i guess you can fish whatever nymph u want or you can match what they are "really" feeding on , take your pic its a decision we all make when we arrive at the stream